Debut Author's Bash w/ Lynne Matson + Giveaway!!

Hosted by YA Reads

Lynne Matson is an awesome new author who loves her #NILtribe and cookies, Girl Scout cookies. Let's give her a warm welcome and don't forget to enter the giveaway before you leave!

  

Starring Lynne Matson

Thanks Lynne for being on Becoming Books today as a part of the Debut Authors Bash. I have read NIL and I loved it!

Thank you Meghann!

I’ve noticed that you did a lot of social media marketing for NIL. You definitely stood out from the pack in my Twitter newsfeed!

Yea! That makes me so happy. :) THANK YOU!!!! :) *shares cookies*

10 years ago with no e-readers, blogs, or Twitter the publishing industry looked a lot different. What role do you think social media has played in your relationships with readers, other authors, publishers/publicists, bloggers, etc?

For me, social media has been HUGE. The YA community is amazing. I’m so honored to be a part of it, and social media has allowed me to connect with readers, book bloggers, and other YA authors in ways I’ve never dreamed. I’ve made some lifelong friends through social media, and I LOVE chatting with readers! And like icing on the NIL cake, the warmth and creativity of the #NILtribe has been a lovely and unexpected gift. :)

What are some secrets or advice you may have for up-and-coming authors using social media to promote their books?

Honestly? The best advice I can give is two-fold. One, be yourself, and two, do what you enjoy doing. Me, I’m a Twitter addict. I blog occasionally, Instagram weekly and Facebook almost never. I don’t do YouTube at all. Not because I’m opposed to it, but with writing and my family (I have 4 boys), I’m fully maxed out and can’t add one more thing. (Plus I’m technologically challenged. :D) But other authors I know are AWESOME at YouTube and Instagram (I’m thinking of Lindsay Cummings and Megan Whitmer) and it totally works for them. So it comes down to doing what you love and what fits with your schedule and personality. Do what YOU enjoy, and your readers will feel it.

Blogging has opened up a whole different world of book reviewing and book promotions. Were you nervous when blog reviews of NIL started appearing online? Do you read them?

Oh my land, YES and yes! When reviews started to come out, I was beyond nervous. Will readers enjoy NIL? Will they get it? Will they hate it? I think it’s normal for debut authors to be nervous, because it’s the first time your writing has gone out into the world.

Initially I did read reviews. I was so excited to have NIL out there, and I couldn’t help myself. But then, there were too many reviews to read them all, and also, reviews started to mess with my writing mojo.:) Writing is subjective, like any art form. I love my characters and my story, but one day I decided that NIL belongs to readers now and I left it at that. And I no longer read reviews. :)

Last media related question before I move onto the awesomeness that is NIL. Do you have any advice for bloggers or readers for interacting with authors online via email or social media?

I think the same advice that I mentioned above applies here: be yourself.:) I’ve had incredible experiences with bloggers, and I know without a doubt that the support of bloggers contributed to the success of NIL. The only thing I’d add here is to approach authors! We’re not scary, and we LOVE to chat with readers and bloggers! I’ve done every interview requested and answered every email readers have sent…and while I know every author can’t do that (because of time constraints or other commitments), it can’t hurt to ask. :) So ask!

Onto the island of NIL… The island itself is quite a character and uber mystery. Thad refers to NIL as “she” with some omnipotent/spiritual tones. How does Thad’s view of NIL effect his inner struggle between fate versus luck during his time on the island?

Great question! Thad views Nil as sentient and cruel, not to mention calculating. Throughout his time on Nil—especially as his time runs out—he wrestles with the dichotomy of fate versus Nil…wondering if perhaps Nil is manipulating fate. Specifically, his fate. Luck plays a role too, as well as personal choice, with each factor heightened in the fishbowl of Nil.

I’ve always believed art reflects life or visa versa. Do you consider yourself more of a fate or luck person?

I’m a bit of both. :) I think that luck plays a role in our fate. That we all have many opportunities before us, many doors that could be opened, but we have to be ready to walk through each door when it opens. So yes, we all have a destiny, a fate, but we make choices that impact our fate too. And a little luck thrown in along the way never hurts. :)

One of the big “rules” of NIL is that time is finite. You only have 365 days to find a way out or you die. How did you go about building the world of NIL? Did you have any specific influences or favorite sci-fi influences?

First, I have to tell you how the idea for NIL began. I had been in Hawaii (the Big Island) with my husband for all of thirty minutes. It was our first real vacation since the arrival of baby boy number four a few years earlier, and the lack of little Matson men under my charge was HUGE. It meant that as we got into our rental car, I didn’t have to wrangle anyone into a car seat, point out a passing bulldozer, or drive one-handed while I blindly fished around on the backseat for a wayward sippy cup (note: don’t do that; it’s NOT safe.) It meant that, for once, I could just look out the window, and relax. And think.

As we left the airport, we drove through miles of ancient lava fields. Broken red rock stretched endlessly both sides, gorgeous and desolate. There were no roads, no buildings, no people--only the eerie sound of wind blowing over the rocks. I specifically remember thinking how much the landscape looked like an alien planet—think DUNE—and marveling at how creepy would it be to wake up there, alone, without a clue to tell you where you were… And what if you were a teenager? And what if--because let’s be honest, isn’t this every person’s worst nightmare?!-–you woke up naked?

NIL was born in that moment. The world building grew from there and never stopped. As for sci-fi influences, YES! I’m a huge fan of sci-fi and fantasy. My dad gave me the Martian Chronicles and DUNE as a teenager, plus Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of PERN series (one of my favorite series EVER). Every book that touched me as a reader influenced my writing, because for me, the greatest gift I could give a reader is to make them feel. If I had to pick my greatest author influence, it would have to be Anne McCaffey. She was incredible.

Keeping with the time theme… If you only had 365 healthy days left on earth what would you do with your time?

How would I spend my life here, in this world, if I knew I only had 365 days to live? I should answer that I’d live just like I do now, because you never know when your time is up, right? I mean, tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. But I think if I KNEW I had only a year to live, I’d really let the small stuff go . . . the stuff that doesn’t matter. Hug more people, stop to appreciate life’s blessings, both big and small. Tell everyone I love that I love them, thank the people who have touched my life, try something new, read ALL THE BOOKS, go to more concerts, hug and kiss and stay up late with my boys as much as I could, eat more cookies, and take a trip to Hawaii with all my boys and super cute husband…since that’s where NIL began. :)

Charley spends a bit of her time on NIL figuring out the islands “rules”. Her discoveries lead to some changes in how things are done in the City. Do you feel it’s important to have strong female leads, especially technologically inclined?

Strong female MCs are important—especially when the story begs for a strong female lead. Women are strong and smart, so why not portray them as such, especially when it’s true to their character? :)

I understand NIL is a standalone novel. Would you consider visiting NIL again with different characters?

Funny you should ask that! NIL was written as a stand alone novel, mainly because in my mind Charley and Thad’s story is complete. However, I just finished a sequel, NIL UNLOCKED, and I’m over the moon excited about it! NIL UNLOCKED is considered a sequel because it picks up where NIL left off, but the main characters are different. Now Rives (one of Thad’s Seconds) and Skye (a new character) take center stage—as does the island. NIL UNLOCKED is full of answers and feels, packed with old characters and new. I’ve been sitting on this news for a while, and am SO excited to say it’ll be out in May 2015. :)

Thank you once again and congrats on publishing your first novel! We look forward to reading more of your work in the future.

Thank you SO much for having me, Meghann! It was a pleasure to hang out with you!!! *sends #NILtribe love* :)

Lynne has been so gracious to offer up a signed copy of NIL plus some swag! 

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